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Removing best before dates could reduce food waste since many people mistake them for expiry dates. These labels indicate quality, not safety, so foods like pasta, rice, and canned goods often remain safe after the date. However, perishable items such as meat and dairy still need clear safety dates. Instead of removing labels entirely, we should focus on educating consumers about the difference between best before and use by dates. Clearer labeling and awareness campaigns can help people use food safely while minimizing unnecessary waste and promoting sustainability.

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I think getting rid of best-before dates might significantly lower food waste since many people tend to throw away products that are still perfectly fine to consume. These dates mainly indicate the food’s quality rather than its safety, yet they are often mistaken for expiry dates. If best-before labels were removed from shelf-stable foods and consumers were encouraged to rely more on their own judgment—like checking smell, taste, and texture—it could prevent a lot of unnecessary disposal. Still, expiry dates should continue to appear on perishable goods to ensure safety. In general, teaching people the real difference between these two types of labels could greatly help reduce confusion and overall food waste.

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Best before dates shouldn't be removed entirely, but they should be revised or clarified to help reduce food waste. Many people mistake “best before” for “expiry,” leading them to discard food that is still perfectly safe to eat. In reality, “best before” relates to quality not safety. Items like pasta, rice, and canned goods often remain edible well beyond that date. Instead of removing these labels, redesigning them and encouraging people to rely on their senses like smell, taste, and appearance can help minimize waste. However, eliminating the labels altogether could create confusion or pose health risks for some consumers. A more effective approach is to educate the public about the true meaning of these dates and use clearer wording, such as “tastes best before.” This balances safety with sustainability and helps reduce unnecessary food waste.

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Honestly, I think removing “best before” dates could really help cut down on food waste. So many of us just toss food the moment we see the date has passed, even when it’s perfectly fine to eat. If we stopped depending so much on those labels, we might start trusting our own senses again — like checking how food looks, smells, or tastes before throwing it out. Of course, people still need to know the difference between spoiled food and food that’s just a bit old, but overall, I think this change could save money, reduce waste, and help the environment. It’s a small step that could make a big difference.

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I think removing best before dates could help reduce food waste because many people throw away food that is still safe to eat. Best before is about quality, not safety, but it is often confused with expiry dates. If we remove it from low-risk foods and educate consumers to check smell, taste, and appearance, we can prevent unnecessary waste. However, expiry dates should still remain on perishable foods for safety. Overall, reducing confusion is the key to cutting food waste.

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I don’t think the best before date should be removed, but it should be explained better. Many people throw away food that is still good because they don’t understand what it means. If people know it’s about quality, not safety, they will waste less food.

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Best before dates provide important information about a product’s quality and freshness. They help consumers make safe and informed decisions about what they eat. While it’s true that many people confuse best before with expiry, removing the label entirely could increase the risk of people eating spoiled food or losing trust in food safety.

Instead of removing best-before dates, we should focus on educating consumers about their meaning, explaining that food past its best-before date is often still safe to eat if it looks, smells, and tastes fine. This approach can reduce food waste without compromising safety or transparency.

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I believe that best-before dates should not be removed, as they serve a large purpose in the grand scheme of food safety. In general, BBD's are guidelines for the consumer as to how long the quality of the product would last, not necessarily how long the product is safe to eat for. Expiration dates usually indicate when the product is no longer safe for consumption, but sometimes there is overlap between these dates and BBD's. Removing BBD's would not be beneficial, as the consumer would have no guideline for how long the product would be of the highest quality and could result in the product being used even past expiration, resulting in illness from spoilage microbes. Ultimately, it is at the customer's discretion to trash the food before or after the BBD, but that does not mean they should be eliminated.

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Removing best before dates could help reduce food waste, but it must be done carefully. Many consumers confuse best before with expiry dates. A best before date only indicates when food is at its peak quality, not when it becomes unsafe to eat. As a result, people often throw away perfectly edible products that are still safe, leading to unnecessary waste.

If best before labels were removed—or replaced with clearer wording such as “tastes best before”—consumers might rely more on their senses (smell, sight, taste) to decide if food is still good. However, without proper education, removing these dates could also increase the risk of foodborne illness, especially for perishable items like dairy or meat.

A better solution might be revising labeling standards to make the difference between best before and expiry dates clearer and encouraging food companies to use smarter packaging (like freshness sensors) to show real spoilage, not just estimated shelf life.

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I don’t think we should completely remove best-before dates, but we definitely need to make them clearer. A lot of people get confused and think best before means the food is unsafe, when it really just means the quality might not be the same after that date.

For example, things like pasta, rice, or canned food are still good to eat long after the date if they’re stored properly — they might not taste as fresh. Instead of removing the label, companies could add a note like “Still safe to eat after this date if stored correctly.” That would help people understand better and stop throwing away good food.

So we should keep best-before dates, but make them easier to understand for everyone.

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FST 316 - Should best before dates be removed to reduce food waste?

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FST 316 - Should best before dates be removed to reduce food waste?

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SUMANTH(#301500587)

​I believe that "best before" dates are a major cause of unnecessary food waste. The main problem is that most people think this date is a safety deadline, when it’s really just an estimate of peak quality. We know that most foods are perfectly safe to eat long after their "best before" date, but they might just lose a bit of their crunch or flavor.

​However, simply removing the dates altogether is not a good solution. It could leave consumers feeling uncertain and anxious about their food. This might even cause them to throw things out sooner "just to be safe," which would make the food waste problem even worse.

​The best solution is to change the wording to be less confusing. I think we need a clear, two-part system that everyone can understand:

​"Use By": This date would be for safety and used only on high-risk foods like deli meats or fresh juices.

​"Best Quality By": This would replace "best before" on all other foods (like cereal, pasta, and canned goods).

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FST316-Should best before dates be removed to reduce food waste? Daniel Jaya-301472770

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FST316-Should best before dates be removed to reduce food waste? Daniel Jaya-301472770

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I don't consider that best before dates shoukd be removed, but it should be explained inside the label or in the markets that all products remain edible after the expected date. The properties of the food remain intact, such as colour, texture, odour and flavour. I think that the most crucial part in this discussion is going to be the education that the consumers should receive when they are buying their food in order to reduce waste. We can assume that most of the consumers have never received instructions about how to interpret best before dates because no one did. That is also why different food manufacturers put expiry date or best before date and confuse customers into asumming it is the same.

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Removing best before dates could help reduce food waste, but it should be done carefully. Many people confuse "best fore" with "expiry," even though best before dates only indicate when food is at its best quality, not when it becomes unsafe to eat. Due to this confusion, consumers often throw away perfectly good food. Removing or replacing best before dates with clearer labeling, such as "use by" for safety and "quality guaranteed until" for freshness, could prevent unnecessary waste while still protecting public health. Education about proper food storage and spoilage signs would also be important to make this change effective.

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I think best before date should not be remove from the product to reduce waste. The best before date allows stakeholders to understand the best quality of a food product, including its taste, texture, and nutritional value. If the best before date is no longer shown on the package, it could create serious food safety problems for consumers and increase uncertainty about food products. In the end, this may lead to even more food waste in society, as more spoiled food could result when there is no best before date for reference.

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I believe the 'Best Before' tag must be changed on certain food items in a bid to reduce wastage of food. Customers wrongly interpret it as an expiration date and end up tossing food that is still safe to eat. Substituting it with a use-by date on all products would be counterproductive, however. Alternatively, I think it's best to reserve the 'Best Before' label for low-risk foods and use expiration dates for others based on the nature of the product. At any rate, what we really should do is increase labeling and consumer guidance so that people won't confuse 'Best Before' with actual expiration dates.

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The best before date on food doesn’t actually mean the food is unsafe after that day it just means the quality might not be quite as good. But many people don’t realize that, so they end up throwing away perfectly good food, which creates a lot of waste. If we removed best before dates, people might use their senses more like looking, smelling, or tasting before deciding to throw something out. On the other hand, that could be risky for foods that spoil easily, like milk, meat, or seafood. A better idea might be to keep “use by” dates for foods that can go bad quickly, but remove “best before” dates from things like pasta, rice, and canned goods. If people also learned more about what these dates really mean, we could cut down on food waste without putting anyone’s health at risk.

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Best-before dates should not be completely removed, but they should be changed or clarified to help reduce food waste. Many people confuse "best before" with "expiry," throwing away food that is still safe to eat. In reality, "best before" only refers to food quality, not safety. Products such as pasta, rice, and canned goods often remain edible long after this date. By removing or redesigning these labels, people would be encouraged to use their senses, smelling, tasting, and checking appearance, before discarding food. However, removing the labels entirely might cause confusion or lead to health risks for some consumers. A better solution is to educate the public about what these dates mean and use clearer wording like “tastes best before.” This approach would reduce unnecessary waste while still ensuring food safety and quality for everyone.

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I think best before dates shouldn’t be completely removed, but they definitely need to be changed to reduce food waste. A lot of people misunderstand best before dates and think the food is unsafe after that day, even though it’s usually still good to eat. This leads to tons of perfectly fine food being thrown out. Instead of removing them entirely, companies could use clearer wording or add guidelines that help people judge freshness themselves, like checking smell, texture, or appearance. If we combine better labeling with public education, people would waste less food while still staying safe.

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I don’t think removing “best before” dates completely is good because they help us know the quality of food. But sometimes people throw food away even when it’s still safe to eat.

It would be better if the labels were clearer, like showing the difference between “best before” for taste and “use by” for safety. People could also learn to check food by smelling or looking at it instead of just trusting the date. This could help reduce a lot of food waste.

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Removing best before dates could help reduce food waste, but it depends on how it is managed. Many people throw away perfectly safe food just because the “best before” date has passed, even though this label only refers to the product’s quality, not safety. Eliminating these dates on long-lasting items like pasta, rice, or canned foods could prevent unnecessary waste. However, removing them completely might also create confusion and increase the risk of people eating spoiled food. A better solution would be to make labeling clearer by distinguishing between “use by” dates, which relate to safety, and “best before” dates, which relate to quality. This approach would help consumers make safer and more informed decisions while reducing overall food waste.

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Many people end up discarding products when they are past their best-before dates, but those dates do not mean they are expired. Their purpose is to warn the consumer that after that date, it may undergo some sensory changes and needs to be consumed quickly. It also serves as a safety net for industries to avoid complaints of sickness from products that have not yet expired (as they have just passed the best-before date but not the expiry date). So I think it's important to have both dates on the product.

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The question of whether best before dates should be removed to reduce food waste is complex and has both advantages and disadvantages. On one hand, best before dates often lead consumers to throw away perfectly good food simply because they misinterpret these labels as indicators of safety rather than quality. In reality, “best before” refers to the time during which a product is expected to remain at its best flavor, texture, and appearance, not when it becomes unsafe to eat. Removing or rethinking these labels could significantly reduce unnecessary food waste, especially for products like dry goods, canned items, and frozen foods that remain safe long after the date has passed. Many people discard such foods out of caution, contributing to millions of tons of waste each year and adding pressure on the environment, resources, and food supply chains.

However, removing best before dates entirely could create confusion or potential health risks if consumers cannot tell when food is no longer safe to eat. A more effective approach might be to improve food labeling by using clearer terms or educational campaigns that help consumers understand the difference between “best before” and “use by” dates. Some countries and food companies are already experimenting with new ways of labeling, such as adding smart sensors that track freshness or encouraging people to rely more on their senses—sight, smell, and taste—to assess food quality. Overall, rather than completely removing best before dates, a balance between consumer education, better labeling, and improved packaging technology may be the best solution to reduce food waste while maintaining food safety.

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Should best before dates be removed to reduce food waste?

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Should best before dates be removed to reduce food waste?

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Joyal Poulose - 301358834

In my opinion, the best before should not be removed and instead of removing best before date, expiry date should also be included. Best before date is important in the food products. Even the best before of food products are over due, it does not mean the food products are bad. Best before dates indicates the time period of the food product stays in its best quality. Some people think best before date as like expiry date and they will throw out the food products after that date. There is no harm in consuming the food products after its best before date. If people still have no idea about these dates, the best way to make aware of them is to put both best before date and expiry date. In this way people can know by what date it should consume in its best quality and by what date it should be consumed at most.

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Should best before dates be removed to reduce food waste?

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Should best before dates be removed to reduce food waste?

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MOBISOLA ONIPEDE - 301400742

I think removing best before dates could help reduce food waste, but it depends on how it’s done. Many people confuse “best before” with “expiry date,” throwing away perfectly safe food just because the date has passed.

Best before dates usually refer to quality, not safety, meaning the food might lose a bit of flavor or texture but is still fine to eat. If those dates were replaced with clearer labeling, like “use by” for safety and “best taste before” for quality, people might make more informed choices instead of automatically tossing food.

However, removing the dates entirely could also cause confusion or lead to health risks if people keep food for too long.

The better solution might be education and awareness—teaching people how to judge food by smell, texture, and appearance rather than relying only on printed dates.

That way, we can reduce waste while keeping food safety in mind.

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In my opinion, eliminating “best before” dates might help reduce food waste because many people discard food that is still safe to eat or edible, mistakenly believing that the date means the food has expired. In reality, “best before” dates only indicates how long a product maintains its best quality, not when it becomes unsafe to eat. Without these dates, consumers might learn to use their senses like smell, taste, and appearance to judge or decide whether food is still good to eat, especially for long-lasting products like canned goods, rice, or pasta. However, this change could also create confusion and possible increase the health risks if people do not understand how to properly identify food freshness. Therefore, while removing “best before” labels could be a good step toward reducing unnecessary waste, it would only be effective if people are educated about food safety and proper storage methods.

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Best before dates are very significant in the sustainability because they assist in preventing food waste and in the assurance of safe food consumption. They show when a product is in its optimum quality rather than when it is unsuitable to consume it. Knowing about this difference, consumers are able to make wise decisions and not to waste food that can be eaten. Making people aware of the meaning behind best before dates will help avoid unnecessary waste by teaching people to act responsibly and consume food, as well as create a more sustainable food system by making food production, packaging, and transportation processes more sustainable.

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According to me, best before dates should not be completely removed, but they should be made clearer to help reduce food waste. Many people misunderstand best before dates, thinking they mean the food is unsafe to eat after that day, when in fact it usually just means the quality might start to decline. I believe clearer labeling and public awareness could help people use their judgment—like checking smell, texture, or taste—before throwing food away. Completely removing best before dates might cause confusion or even safety issues for some products, but making them more understandable or replacing them with freshness indicators could strike a better balance. This way, we can reduce unnecessary waste while still keeping food safety in mind.

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Should best before dates be removed to reduce food waste?

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Should best before dates be removed to reduce food waste?

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Ashna (301484972)

Best- before dates indicate food quality, not safety, but many people confuse them with expiry dates and throw away edible food. Removing best-before dates from low-risk items, like fruits, vegetables, or dry goods, could help reduce food waste. For instance, UK supermarkets like Morrisons have removed them on fresh produce, encouraging customers to judge freshness themselves. However, for perishable foods like dairy, meat, and fish, dates remain important for safety. Without best-before dates, some consumers may feel uncertain or risk eating spoiled food. A balanced approach is to keep them only for safety- critical products and educate people about the difference between "best before" and "expiry". This way, food waste can be reduced while still protecting public health.

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Should best before dates be removed to reduce food waste?

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Should best before dates be removed to reduce food waste?

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Simrandeep Kaur (301490891)

Eliminating "best before" dates might lower food waste, though success hinges on the implementation. These labels signal peak quality rather than when food becomes unsafe. Consumers frequently discard items after the date expires, despite them remaining edible, resulting in avoidable waste. Eliminating or revising such labels could prompt people to evaluate food using their senses—like sight, smell, and flavor—rather than relying solely on dates. That said, retaining some type of direction is key for health protection and public trust. An improved strategy could involve informing people on the distinction between "best before" (for quality) and "use by" (for safety) dates, or adopting innovative options like freshness sensors, rather than abolishing dates entirely.

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I do not think best before dates should be removed from products. While the food should still be safe to eat after this date, the freshness is still important to consider when cooking. It is also important for consumer loyalty and brand reputation, where a consumer may feel negatively towards a product that has past its peak freshness without any indication. What can be done is to better inform consumers and communicate that food isn't necessarily unsafe after the best before date.

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I believe that removing "best before" dates could be a powerful strategy for curbing food waste, but only if it's done alongside a comprehensive public education initiative. The current issue is that many people mistake these dates, which indicate peak quality, for expiration dates that signal food is no longer safe to eat. This misunderstanding results in perfectly good food being discarded prematurely, leading to a massive waste of both product and the resources used to create it. While getting rid of the dates could solve this problem, doing so without teaching consumers how to properly assess food's edibility by sight and smell could introduce food safety risks. A more effective solution would be to create a clearer, more standardized labeling system one that distinguishes between quality and safety and then equip the public with the knowledge to make informed decisions, thereby cutting down on waste without compromising health.

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I do not agree that removing best before dates in packaging is the best solution for food waste. This piece of information is important to let consumers know when the food they are eating is potentially hazardous or not, and removing it will get rid of an important tool for food manufacturers regarding food safety.

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Should best-before dates be removed to reduce food waste?

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Should best-before dates be removed to reduce food waste?

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Ewu David (301350756)

I am not in line with the idea of removing the best-before dates on any food product. The best-before dates give the customer or consumer information about what they are purchasing or about to eat. Also, from a food safety point of view, this information is very important. With the best-before dates on a food product, customers/consumers will know the quantity of the food products they can buy and know for how long they can keep them in the best possible state, thus reducing food waste. In addition, the best-before dates can give a lot of information should there be any recall about that product.

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FST 316 - Should best before dates be removed to reduce food waste?

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FST 316 - Should best before dates be removed to reduce food waste?

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Ayomide Olaegbon

301313995

I am one of the many people who discard perfectly acceptable food due to best before labels, even though they are more about quality than safety. Eliminating or reconsidering these labels could encourage me to trust my senses more tasting, smelling, and seeing. It will also reduce food waste, which lowers environmental impact and saves money. However, I can see why there are best before dates; they provide comfort and safeguard those who might be hesitant to judge the safety of food, particularly when it comes to dairy, meat, and prepared foods. A well-rounded approach would maintain strict "use by" dates for safety while clarifying best before dates as quality standards, backed by food safety education. I could waste less without endangering myself or other people in this way.

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I believe that completely removing best before dates is not the right solution. These dates give consumers confidence about the quality of food, but they are not always accurate because food can last longer or spoil earlier depending on how it is stored. The real issue is that the best before date is fixed and cannot reflect real life conditions. Instead of removing them, we should focus on improving the way they guide us. For example, a box of crackers may still taste perfectly fine a few weeks after the best before date if kept sealed in a dry place, but the same crackers may lose their crispness much earlier if the box is left open. We could also add modern tools such as QR codes that explain storage tips or even provide the harvest date. In the future, smarter packaging could also help by showing freshness more directly, which would prevent both households and stores from throwing away safe food. This way we can reduce waste while still protecting consumers and giving them the right information.

To sum up, best before dates should be improved, not removed.

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Best before dates should not be removed as it is an indicator of the quality of the food. It should be the food manufacturer's responsibility to provide this information to the consumers. However, consumers should be properly educated and informed on the meaning of best before labels. They should also be more aware on how much food the need to purchase to minimize the amount of waste.

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Removing the "best before date" can be an option to help reduce food waste, as many people believe that food past its "best before date" is not considered safe to eat. However, I think that the label "best before date" should not be removed because it plays an important role in guiding customers to make informed decisions about food quality. Unlike physical signs of spoilage, such as mould or odour, some bacteria can not be determined by sight, smell or taste. They can unknowingly eat unsafe food without this guidance. The "best before" label also helps vulnerable groups who are at risk of foodborne illness. Instead of eliminating the label, a better approach would be to improve consumer education about the difference between quality and safety dates. By providing clearer labelling or additional instructions, we can reduce food waste while maintaining consumer safety

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In my opinion, best before dates should not be removed from perishable products because without a clear label indicating their use-by date, people could consume spoiled food and become ill. On non-perishable products, however, they should be replaced with an expiration date, since they tend to last much longer. It should be clarified that while many physical characteristics of the product may change, its safety remains the same, avoiding unnecessary waste. In conclusion, this problem cannot be solved simply by removing best before dates or not; action is also needed to educate the public about how they work.

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Removing best before dates on some items can help cut down on food waste because many people discard safe-to-eat products because they mistake "best before" (quality) for "use by" (safety). This is ideal for non-perishable foods like rice, pasta, and canned products, where the food stays safe even after the expiration date. However, dates should remain to ensure safety for perishable commodities like meat, dairy, or prepared meals. To further cut down on needless waste, consumers should be taught to rely on taste, smell, and sight when purchasing non-perishables.

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I think rethinking best before dates on food could make a big difference in reducing food waste. Often, people throw out perfectly good food just because the date has passed, even though it’s still safe to eat. If we can help people understand the difference between “best before” (which is about quality) and “use by” (which is about safety), we could save a lot of food from going to the landfill. This isn’t just about saving money and it’s about helping the environment too. Every time we throw food away, all the water, energy, and resources used to grow, package, and transport it are wasted, and it adds to greenhouse gas emissions. Simple changes, like better labeling or public education, could encourage people to make smarter choices and use food more fully. In the end, adjusting best before dates is a small step, but it can have a big impact on making our food system more sustainable and reducing unnecessary waste.

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I don't think "Best Before Dates" should be removed, because they specify when it is better to use that food to take advantage of all the flavor and nutrients. But there should be some information or campaign that teaches the population on what they mean and how to differentiate them from expiracy dates, it should be helpful to put the latter in the label as well. If we have both dates on the label, it should be easier to differentiate them.

Also briefly explain that some foods can even surpass the expiracy for a couple of days and that a correct cooking or processing should be enough to still consider it safe to eat. Teach the population on how to sensory evaluate if a food still is viable for its consumption.

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I don't believe best before dates should be removed from food packaging because it gives people a helpful estimation of when a product maybe spoiling soon.

However, I believe that we should educate the general population on the differences between expiry and best before dates if we want to reduce waste and also protect people from eating potentially harmful food.

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Palak

(301485161)

Removing best-before dates could reduce food waste by encouraging people to rely on sight, taste, and texture rather than printed labels. For example, canned beans or dry pasta often stay safe long after their date yet are thrown away unnecessarily.

This shift promotes smarter habits and less landfill waste. With better public awareness and clear safety labels for perishables, we could eat more responsibly without compromising health.

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Best-before dates often cause confusion between food safety and quality. Many consumers throw away perfectly safe food simply because the date has passed, which contributes significantly to food waste. Removing best-before dates entirely could create safety risks, as people would have no reference point for freshness.

A better solution is to improve labeling and education:

Use clearer, more informative labels such as “consume by,” “best if used by,” or smart indicators like color-changing stickers.

Educate consumers on how to assess food quality using sight, smell, and taste rather than relying solely on dates.

Encourage proper storage practices to extend the life of foods.

By keeping best-before dates but making them more meaningful and understandable, we can reduce food waste without compromising safety.

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I think that the best before dates should not be removed, because they help consumers know when food is at its best quality, guide safe storage and use, and prevent people from accidentally eating spoiled or unsafe products. Instead proposing removing the best before date, we can be more mindful about the quantities that we purchase so we can reduce food waste by not throwing the old products away.

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Yes

1. Reduces Consumer Confusion: The largest benefit. "Best before" is about quality (e.g., taste, texture), not safety. People often mistake it for "use by" (which is for safety on highly perishable foods like meat). Removing it stops good food from being thrown away based on an arbitrary date.

2. Encourages Sensory Evaluation: It prompts people to use their own senses—look, smell, taste—to decide if food is still good. This is a more accurate way to judge the edibility of many items like yogurt, eggs, or produce.

3. Lowers Household Food Waste: A significant portion of food waste occurs in homes. Removing the date eliminates a primary reason people discard food that is still perfectly safe to eat.

4. Reduces Environmental Impact: Less food waste means less methane gas from landfills, less energy and water used to produce food that is never eaten, and a lower overall carbon footprint.

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In my opinion, best before food dates shouldn’t be removed from the food as they are an indication of freshness of the food. Best before dates indicates that the quality of the food is better before a certain date but if stored correctly it can also be used after the best before date. Many people interpret that the item is not good for consumption after that date or are scared of getting food-borne illnesses. To resolve this issue, people should me made aware of the meaning of “best before” date. There should be more understandable food labels to reduce confusion among consumers.

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Removing best-before dates could help reduce food waste, as many consumers misinterpret them as indicators of safety rather than quality. This leads to the unnecessary disposal of edible food. However, it’s essential to balance this with consumer education and clear guidance to avoid risks, particularly with perishable items. Alternative solutions, such as standardizing storage and freshness indicators (e.g., smart labels or freshness sensors), could offer more precise information. Removing best-before dates could work for non-perishable items where quality degradation is less critical, but for fresh and highly perishable foods, the dates serve an important role in ensuring safety and quality.

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Benefits of Removing Best Before Dates:

Less Food Waste: People may throw away food that is still good to eat.

Using Senses: Without dates, consumers will check food for freshness by looking, smelling, and tasting.

Clearer Labels: Simplifying labels can make it easier to understand what they mean.

Challenges:

Education Needed: People need to learn how to check food freshness without relying on dates.

Alternative Labels: Some products use labels like "best if used by," which can clarify quality vs. safety.

Standardization: Consistent labeling across brands can reduce confusion.

In summary, while removing best-before dates can help, it also requires educating consumers and improving labeling practices.

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The idea of removing best before dates to reduce food waste is a topic of debate. Best before dates indicate peak quality rather than food safety, and many people mistakenly throw away food that is still perfectly safe to eat. Removing these dates could potentially reduce waste, as consumers would rely more on their senses (smell, taste, appearance) to judge whether food is still good.

However, removing best before dates entirely might create confusion, leading to potential health risks if consumers aren't confident in assessing the condition of food. A middle-ground solution could be redefining or educating consumers about the difference between "best before" and "use by" dates. Another option could be using smart packaging that changes color based on the actual freshness of the food, offering a more accurate and reliable measure.

This approach could strike a balance between reducing unnecessary food waste and ensuring food safety.

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In my opinion, getting rid of dates that say 'best'before', people should believe their senses, like smell, taste, and appearance, instead of throwing food away just because the date has passed. This would cut down on food waste. There is still a lot of food that you can eat after the "best-before" date. But there is also a chance of mixing up best-before dates and expiration dates, which tell you when food might not be safe to eat. Labels could use some work, and people should be taught the difference between when food is still good and when it really needs to be put away.

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Reducing food waste by eliminating best-before dates is a complicated topic with strong arguments on both sides. Despite the fact that most Canadians prefer to retain perfectly edible food after the date has past, removing these dates might potentially reduce needless food waste.

Best-before dates help shops rotate their stock, give customers a better idea of how fresh a product is, and allow for discounts on products that are about to expire. They can, however, also cause confusion since many individuals confuse them for quality markers instead of safety indications. Alternative strategies to total elimination may include implementing technology like intelligent packaging to more precisely signal food freshness, increasing label clarity, or educating consumers about the significance of best-before dates.

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Best before dates can negatively impact sustainability by contributing to food waste. Many consumers discard products once the date has passed, even if the food is still safe to eat. This results in perfectly edible food being thrown away, which in turn wastes the resources used to produce, transport, and store that food. Removing or rethinking best before dates, while ensuring food safety, can help reduce unnecessary food waste, alleviate pressure on food supply chains, and decrease environmental impact.

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By allowing consumers to make their own decisions about a product's freshness rather than tossing perfectly acceptable food just because it has a best-before date, best-before dates could help reduce food waste. Many items are still safe and nutritious after this date because best-before dates suggest peak quality rather than safety. Nevertheless, best-before dates are sometimes mistaken for expiration dates by customers, which results in needless waste. Removing these labels, according to critics, could result in misunderstanding or safety issues, particularly for perishable goods. To achieve a balance, expanding food donation standards, providing explicit consumer education about food safety, and using alternative labelling (such as "use by" for safety and "best by" for quality) could all help cut waste without sacrificing safety.

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In my opinion, "best before" dates should be removed because they cause a lot of food to be thrown away for no reason. Many people think these dates mean the food is unsafe to eat, but they only show when the food is at its best quality. This makes people throw out food that’s still good. If we get rid of these dates, people could use their senses—like smelling, tasting, and looking at the food—to decide if it’s still okay to eat. This would help cut down on waste and protect the environment, without risking safety, since "use by" dates still cover perishable items.

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Taking away such labels such as ‘best before’ may assist in reducing food waste by discouraging individuals to look at the label instead they figure out for themselves whether the food is still fresh or not. The new rules for “best before” dates are also convenient because many non-perishable goods stay safe to eat for months after the “best before” labels indicate, such as pasta, rice, or canned goods; so this change would help eliminate food waste. However, complete removal of dates could also have negative effects especially to the consumers who might fail to know when food is not safe for consumption which may enhance the spread of food borne diseases. They are also used by retailers to order stock and do not sell bad products so this change will mess up their systems.

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Should best before dates be removed to reduce food waste? Diya Patel (301403928)

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Should best before dates be removed to reduce food waste? Diya Patel (301403928)

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Best before dates indicate when food is at its peak quality but not necessarily when its unsafe to consume. I believe removing best before dates could help reduce food waste, but only if its accompanied by widespread education on food safety and quality. By encouraging consumers, we could cut down on unnecessary waste.

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Removing best before dates could lead to increased food waste, as many consumers might struggle to determine if food is still safe to eat, leading to unnecessary disposal out of caution. These dates help guide consumers on food quality, and a better approach would be to educate people on the difference between " use by" and " best before" labels to promote both food safety and waste reduction.

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Abolishing best-before dates is a complex but, at the same time, very convincing argument for reducing food waste. Scrapping off the dates might really help consumers estimate food safety and, hopefully, get rid of the impossible rate of waste that fresh produce generates; however, it similarly might be important to note that many people depend on these labels for guidance. Confusion over best-before dates leads to the unnecessary trashing of food that is perfectly good. Instead of abolishing these dates completely, a better way might be improving consumer education as to what these dates really mean, along with clearer labeling. In this manner, we can help people make educated decisions while at the same time working on the very important issue of food waste.

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Food waste may be decreased by removing "best before" dates, which would encourage consumers to use their senses—tasting, smelling, and observing food—instead of solely depending on labels. Quality, not safety, is indicated by the fact that many goods remain safe and edible well past their best before date. Those who don't have the label may be less prone to throw out perfectly delicious food too soon. On the other hand, this strategy might potentially lead to confusion, particularly for vulnerable populations like the elderly. In order to balance waste reduction with health and safety concerns, it would be essential to implement public awareness programs to make sure people understand how to properly evaluate food.

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Removing best before dates could help cut reduce food waste because many people misunderstand these labels and end up throwing away perfectly good food. The item is usually still safe to consume after the best before date has passed because it indicates quality rather than safety. We may reduce unnecessary waste by encouraging people to rely on their senses—like taste and smell—instead of strict dates by getting rid of these labels or better educating consumers. To avoid any possible health hazards and guarantee that people understand how to correctly evaluate food, it would also need clear instructions.

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"Best before" dates indicate the period during which a food product is expected to maintain optimal quality in taste, texture, and nutritional value, but they do not signify safety. Many consumers mistakenly interpret these dates as indicators of food safety, leading to the unnecessary disposal of edible products and contributing significantly to food waste.

From a sustainability perspective, reconsidering "best before" dates could help reduce waste by encouraging consumers to rely on sensory evaluation—smell, taste, and appearance—rather than strictly adhering to printed dates. This shift could also aid retailers in managing inventory more effectively.

However, any changes must balance consumer safety and confidence. Removing or reforming "best before" dates could create uncertainty, especially for less confident consumers. Therefore, educational campaigns are essential to clarify the meaning of these dates and promote mindful consumption practices.

In summary, while "best before" dates have their purpose, enhancing labeling clarity and increasing consumer education can support sustainability efforts and reduce food waste without compromising safety.

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It has been proposed that eliminating "best before" dates can help cut down on food waste, but the problem is more complicated than it first seems. Advocates contend that because "best before" and "use by" dates are frequently confused, resulting in needless waste, these labels frequently compromise food safety. In general, "best before" dates show when a product is at its best, not when it is no longer safe to consume. As a result, food that is perfectly good is frequently thrown out because of a date that is chosen at random. Advocates think that by eliminating or altering the way these dates are used, people would be more likely to use their senses—such as taste, smell, and appearance—to determine whether food is still edible, potentially preventing tons of food from ending up in landfills.

Improving the way "best before" and "use by" dates are conveyed instead of doing away with them completely could be a compromise. Customers would be less likely to mix up dates that pertain to safety and those that reflect quality if the distinction between the two were made more obvious. Improved labeling and public education initiatives on using sensory judgment to evaluate food could successfully cut down on food waste while maintaining safety. With this strategy, waste reduction and maintaining consumer knowledge of food safety and quality would be balanced.

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Removing best before dates from food products could significantly help reduce food waste, as these dates often mislead consumers into discarding items that are still safe to eat. Best before dates indicate quality rather than safety, leading many to throw away perfectly edible food once the date has passed. This practice contributes to the staggering amount of food waste produced globally. By shifting the focus from arbitrary dates to encouraging consumers to use their senses—such as checking for off smells, changes in texture, or visible signs of spoilage—people may become more discerning about what they throw away. Additionally, clearer labeling that distinguishes between "best before" and "use by" dates can help minimize confusion. While there are concerns about food safety and the potential for misuse, a combined strategy that emphasizes education on food freshness and the importance of reducing waste could create a more sustainable approach to food consumption and contribute to a healthier planet.

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Removing best before dates could reduce food waste, but with careful consideration.

Advantages: Many consumers discard perfectly good food because they rely strictly on best-before dates, which often lead to premature disposal. If best-before dates were removed, people might rely more on their senses—like smell, taste, and appearance—to judge food safety. This change could significantly cut down on food waste, especially for non-perishable items like dry goods, canned foods, and frozen products, which often remain safe long after their labeled dates.

Challenges: However, removing best-before dates entirely might also cause confusion about food quality, especially for perishable items like dairy and meat. While food might still be safe, its quality may decline, and without guidance, some consumers might still err on the side of caution and discard it. Also, vulnerable populations, like the elderly, might struggle without clear date labels, leading to potential food safety risks.

Conclusion: While removing best-before dates could reduce food waste, it should be paired with public education on food safety, helping people confidently identify when food is truly unsafe to eat. Another option could be clearer labeling, such as separating quality and safety indicators on packaging.

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The removal of best-before dates could play a significant role in reducing food waste, but this approach must be carefully balanced with proper education and safety measures. On one hand, many consumers misinterpret these dates as indicators of food safety rather than quality, leading to unnecessary disposal of perfectly edible food. By eliminating best-before dates, people may be encouraged to use their own judgment based on appearance, smell, and texture, potentially preventing millions of tons of food waste each year. This change, coupled with clearer labeling and food safety education, could empower consumers to make informed decisions, reducing the environmental and financial impact of food waste.

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Anjali Anna Joe

301396245

Removing "best before" dates could help reduce food waste by preventing the unnecessary disposal of edible food. Many people confuse these dates with expiration dates and throw away good food. Without the dates, people would use their senses to judge if food is still fresh. This change could make people more aware of food quality and reduce reliance on packaging for safety. However, some might keep food too long and risk safety issues. A better solution could be to remove the dates from non-perishable items and teach people about food storage. This way, we could reduce waste while still keeping food safe.

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Removing "best before" dates could be a positive step toward reducing food waste, but it must be done carefully. Best before dates often cause confusion, leading consumers to discard food that's still safe to eat based on perceived freshness rather than actual safety. Many products, such as dry goods, canned items, and non-perishables, remain consumable long after their best before dates. Educating consumers to use their senses smell, sight, and taste to determine food quality could help people make informed decisions, reducing unnecessary waste. Removing best before dates could shift the mindset toward minimizing food waste, but it’s essential to keep clear expiration dates for highly perishable or dangerous items like dairy, meat, and seafood to ensure public safety.

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Removing best before dates could help reduce food waste by changing how consumers perceive food freshness. Here are some thoughts on this idea:

1. Consumer Perception: Many people mistakenly believe that food is unsafe to eat after the best before date, leading to premature disposal. By removing these dates, consumers might be encouraged to rely more on their senses (sight, smell, taste) to assess food quality.

2. Focus on Food Safety: Instead of best before dates, labeling could focus on clear guidance for food safety, such as “use by” dates for perishables. This would help consumers distinguish between foods that are safe to consume and those that are not.

3. Encouraging Responsible Consumption: Without the pressure of a date label, consumers might feel more empowered to use leftovers or less-than-perfect produce, fostering a culture of minimizing waste.

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This debate about the abolishment of best before dates for reduction in food waste is varied and complex. The scrapping of such dates does have the potential to cut down on unnecessary wastage of food; however, it is not a straightforward solution. Best before dates are quality indicators rather than safety markers, and very few consumers understand what they mean, hence throwing away perfectly edible food. One possibly superior approach is raising consumer awareness regarding the various dates, a campaign of education on how to use their senses regarding whether the food is good to eat, and improved labeling systems as a whole. Moreover, proper ways of storing food should be taught, along with the typical duration foods are considered good for, and can help consumers make an educated decision as to whether to eat an item or to discard it. It may prove more effective in the long run to reduce food waste by better labeling in conjunction with consumer education and responsible food management.

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Removing "best before" dates could decrease food waste by dispensing with consumer misunderstanding with these labels, which usually confuse quality with safety. Instead, clearer labeling of "best before" to indicate quality and "use by" to indicate safety should be linked with education on assessing the quality of food through sensory cues. This will, in turn, better allow consumers to make more appropriate decisions while still maintaining that food safety is not compromised, therefore potentially reducing overall waste.

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In my perspective, as a food science technology student, the elimination of “best before’ dates could help in minimizing food waste, seeing that people will not have to throw away foods that are still fit for human consumption. But it has a negative side as well. Clearly, if the “best before” date was not stated, it might prove really hard for the consumers to determine the right quality and freshness of the products in question thus posing serious issues of food safety. It could also lead to retailers taking long periods to sell their stocks hence posing a threat of deteriorating food quality. They should not completely eradicate the label because that would be an extreme measure, and a more appropriate method could be to ensure that people have adequate knowledge on the difference between “best before” and “expiry” dates.

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Removing best before dates from food packaging has been proposed as a way to reduce food waste, but this idea invites a multifaceted discussion. On one hand, many consumers perceive these dates as strict indicators of food safety, leading to the disposal of products that may still be perfectly safe to eat. Without these dates, consumers might be encouraged to rely on their own sense sight, smell, and taste to judge the quality of food, potentially decreasing unnecessary waste. However, there is a risk that some consumers may remain hesitant to consume products without clear guidance, which could hinder the effectiveness of this approach.

Additionally, it is essential to consider the distinction between best before and use-by dates. Best before dates indicate food quality rather than safety, and removing them could lead to confusion among consumers regarding what is still safe to eat. A comprehensive education campaign could address this issue by informing the public about how to assess food quality properly and the differences between various date labels.

Retailers could also play a significant role by implementing strategies such as dynamic pricing for items approaching their best before dates, thus incentivizing sales and minimizing waste. However, any changes would require regulatory adjustments, which could involve significant challenges in the food production and retail sectors.

In summary, while the removal of best before dates has the potential to reduce food waste, it must be executed thoughtfully, with an emphasis on consumer safety and education to ensure that the goal of minimizing waste does not compromise food safety.

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should best-before dates be removed to reduce food waste?

name: Smita Patel

Student number: 301405077

One of the arguments against removing "best before" dates is that they ensure that products meet basic standards of quality and freshness. They give some indication to the consumer when the food might become less fresh or degrade in taste or texture. If these were removed, the number of customers dissatisfied with their purchases would rise since they don't quite match expectations, though still safe to eat. Moreover, even without the "best before" dates, people may be discarding the food anyway because of uncertainty it instills about its freshness, which may defeat the very purpose of reducing waste.

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By preventing people from throwing away perfectly edible food because they are afraid it has expired, deleting best before dates might drastically cut food waste. These dates largely indicate quality, but many people mistakenly believe they are signs of food safety. There are worries, though, that without the dates, people would find it difficult to tell when food has truly gone bad, which could pose health hazards. According to the film, in order to guarantee safe food practices and advance sustainability, eliminating the dates requires greater consumer knowledge.

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Should best before dates be removed to reduce food waste?

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Should best before dates be removed to reduce food waste?

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Seemabanu diwan ( 301431171)

While removing expiration dates could potentially reduce food waste by encouraging consumers to use judgement and weigh the potential benefits against the risk of compromising food safety, especially for perishable foods.

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How do best before dates affect sustainability?

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How do best before dates affect sustainability?

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Kashish Panchal - 301402603

"Best before" dates have a big influence on sustainability because they increase food waste. Because many people confuse "best before" dates with expiration dates, edible food is thrown out, exacerbating environmental problems such landfill greenhouse gas emissions.
Some merchants are eliminating "best before" labels from specific products in an effort to avoid needless waste and increase sustainability. Another way to reduce food waste and its negative effects on the environment is to educate customers about the distinction between "best before" and expiration dates.

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I don’t think removing "best before" dates is a good solution for reducing food waste. These dates provide important information that helps me and others make informed decisions about the quality of the food we eat. While I agree that many people misunderstand these dates, they still serve as a useful guide to know when food might start losing its flavor or nutritional value.

If "best before" dates were removed, people might hesitate to consume products once they seem even slightly old, which could actually increase food waste. Instead of removing the dates, I think we should focus on educating consumers about the difference between "best before" and "expiration" dates, so we can safely reduce waste without compromising food safety or quality.

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Removing best before dates may help cut down on food waste because it may alter consumers' perceptions of how fresh food is. Food that is still okay to eat is frequently thrown away by mistake because its best before date has gone. Food can still be perfectly edible after this date because it is typically more concerned with quality than safety.

A more balanced strategy might include better labeling that makes a distinction between use by dates (safety) and best before dates (quality). Consumers who are educated about food preservation and storage may be able to make better decisions without depending just on dates.

In conclusion, eliminating "best before" dates could aid in waste reduction, but it would need to be carefully considered in terms of consumer safety and education to make sure there are no unfavorable effects.

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Best-before dates should be removed from non-perishable foods to reduce wood waste, as many non-perishable foods, such as dried and canned goods, last much longer than labeled. However, perishable foods should have expiration dates over best-before dates as they can cause health hazards if consumed expired. In conclusion, labels should either have expiration dates for perishable and non expiration for non-perishable foods.

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Removing best-before dates from food packaging is a potential strategy to reduce food waste, as these dates often indicate food quality rather than safety. Many consumers mistakenly discard food that is still safe to eat based on the best-before date, leading to unnecessary waste. Eliminating these dates could encourage people to rely on sensory evaluation—such as smell and taste—to determine food freshness, thereby reducing waste. It might also prompt consumers to adopt better food storage habits and provide manufacturers with more flexibility by avoiding the conservative date estimates that lead to premature disposal of products. However, the removal of best-before dates has its drawbacks. Many people depend on these labels for guidance, and without them, there could be confusion about when food is safe to consume. This could increase the risk of eating spoiled or unsafe food, especially for items that spoil without clear signs. Retailers may also face challenges in managing inventory without a defined timeline for food freshness, potentially leading to stockpiling of older products. A better approach might be clearer labeling that educates consumers on the difference between "best-before" and "use-by" dates or implementing dynamic labeling technologies, such as freshness sensors or QR codes, that provide real-time updates on food quality. While removing best-before dates could reduce waste, it must be paired with education and innovative solutions to prevent confusion and ensure food safety.

4o

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I think removing best before date is not a good idea. Eliminating best before dates might cause more damage than benefit, as it could mislead customers regarding the quality and safety of food. Without these dates, consumers run the risk of consuming food that has deteriorated in quality or is perhaps dangerous, especially for vulnerable groups like the elderly. Many people rely on these dates to determine when a product is at its best. These dates also make producers accountable for the items' freshness.

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Removing best-before dates could help reduce food waste, as many consumers misinterpret them, leading to premature disposal. Clearer labeling and education about food safety could promote better practices instead. Additionally, encouraging food donation approaching its best-before date could further minimize waste while supporting those in need. Ultimately, a consumer perception and behavior shift is essential for effective waste reduction strategies.

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I believe removing best before dates could be a game-changer in reducing food waste, but it comes with some challenges. Often, I find myself tossing out perfectly good food simply because the date on the package has passed, even when it still looks and smells fine. Without these dates, we could shift our focus to using our senses—like taste and smell—to judge food quality. This change could foster a more sustainable mindset among my peers and encourage us to be more resourceful. However, I worry that removing these labels might lead to confusion or even safety concerns, especially with perishable items. To truly tackle food waste, I think we need a combination of better education about food safety and more transparent labeling practices that help us make informed decisions without fear of waste.

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I believe that "best before" dates should not be removed, as they play a crucial role in indicating food safety and helping consumers make informed decisions. However, there is room for improvement. Companies could adjust these dates to align more closely with the actual point at which safety becomes a concern, rather than when a single quality parameter changes. By setting the best before dates based on genuine safety risks, rather than minor variations, we can maintain this important safety indicator while also potentially reducing unnecessary food waste.

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No, taking away the "best before" dates will probably result in more food waste. Without these labels, a lot of customers could find it difficult to decide whether food is still safe to eat, which might cause confusion and increase the number of things thrown out of caution. Best before dates provide consumers a precise indication of when food is at its best, enabling them to make well-informed decisions. Encouraging customers to understand the distinction between "use by" and "best before" dates is a more effective way to ensure food safety and mitigate waste.

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should best-before dates be removed to reduce food waste?     Sharanjit(301405174)

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should best-before dates be removed to reduce food waste?     Sharanjit(301405174)

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-Reducing Food Waste: A lot of people throw away perfectly edible food because they mistake "best before" dates for "use by" dates. Eliminating these labels could make individuals more inclined to trust their senses.

Cons: - Food Safety Concerns: Removing "best before" dates off some items, particularly perishable ones, may raise the chance of ingesting contaminated goods and thus pose health hazards.
My View: Rather than doing away with "best before" dates completely, I believe that overhauling the labeling system** may be a preferable course of action. A balance between cutting waste and guaranteeing safety might be achieved by making it easier to distinguish between "best before" and "use by" dates and by educating the public on how to evaluate food quality. In this manner, we may prevent waste without sacrificing health.

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Food "best before" dates should be removed because many people throw food away irrationally because they believe it is no longer safe to eat after that date. This could significantly reduce waste. Without these dates, people wouldn't be able to determine if food was still edible without using their senses of smell and sight. Although some people may find it confusing, this change may help minimize food waste among those who are unsure of how to recognize spoiled food. For this reason, it would be crucial to teach everyone how to safely check for freshness. All things considered, this strategy might promote more considerate eating practices and reduce food waste among us.

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The removal of "best before" dates could significantly reduce food waste, as many consumers misunderstand these labels as indicators of food safety rather than quality. This confusion leads to the premature disposal of perfectly edible products, contributing to environmental harm and wasted resources. Since "best before" dates primarily refer to the optimal freshness or flavor of a product rather than when it becomes unsafe to consume, eliminating these dates might encourage people to rely on their senses, smell, taste, and appearance to judge whether food is still good. However, concerns remain about consumer safety, as some may struggle to determine when a product is no longer safe to eat, especially for perishable items.

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The subject of whether removing best before dates would help minimize food waste is complex, with opposing viewpoints. Here's a summary of the main points:
Potential advantages of deleting best-before dates
Removing best-before dates may help minimize food waste in numerous ways:
It may prevent people from throwing away food that is still edible just because the best before date has passed14.
It may enable people to make their own decisions regarding food quality and freshness rather than depending exclusively on dates. According to studies, date labels play a significant role in food waste. In the UK, for example, date labels were given as the cause for disposing of food in one-third of the cases, equivalent to 2 million tonnes of food being thrown away. Potential downsides and issues.
However, there are certain potential difficulties when eliminating best before dates:
Many consumers rely on best before dates as indicators of food safety, but they are primarily about quality rather than safety5. A study found that 62% of Canadians oppose eliminating these dates. However, removing them entirely may deprive consumers of useful information about food freshness and quality5. Alternative approaches are suggested.
Rather than fully abolishing best before dates, other alternatives have been proposed:
To improve consumer education on date labels and food quality, consider using more descriptive language, such as "consume by" or "use by," and implementing sensory-focused labels that describe taste or smell changes  to indicate whn food has spoiled.

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should best before dates be removed to reduce food waste?

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should best before dates be removed to reduce food waste?

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name- parth jatiya

student id- 301293190

according to me the best option is to change the name of the label. instead of "best before" food manufacturers should provide the expiry date on the product with the buffer time which will help reduce the waste reduction drastically. in addition, government and food manufacturers should run the educational and advertisement campaign to spread awareness about the difference between best before and expiry.

i can agree with the fact that best before give you the idea about the products peak freshness. however, it can also known by expiry date which is much better than the other as it gives you the approximate idea about the total shelf life of the product.

in contrast, this fresh produce should be exempt from this as it has very short shelf life and can be a reason for serious contamination if consumed after.

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Should Best Before Dates Be Removed To Reduce Food Waist (Sasoon Margarosyan - 301202539)

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Should Best Before Dates Be Removed To Reduce Food Waist (Sasoon Margarosyan - 301202539)

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Removing the "best before" date can help reduce the amount of food waist but can also cause some negative out comes for the consumers. One technique manufactures can use is to not fully remove a "best before" date but to exchange it with label describing what signs to look for when a food is spoiled. by teaching consumer the type of sensory determinants to look for such as smells, color, odor, gas production, or apparencies, consumers can potentially limited there amount food waste. the down side of this approach is that not every individual or consumer will be able to identify the time of sign that are expressed on the label. For example, if a sensory determinant is a smell of rotten eggs " the consumer may not know what that particular odor smells like making it difficult to determine if the food if spoiled or not. Another approach can be to change the term " best before to another term. For example offering others term such as " use before" can encourage the consumer to use the food which also leads to reduced food waste. in conclusion no, removing a "best before date would not reduce food waste but altering the way it is presented most definitely can.

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To reduce food waste, the idea of deleting best before dates is a complicated one that needs to be carefully considered. Consumers frequently misinterpret best before dates, viewing them as rigid markers of food safety rather than quality. It may be possible to lessen needless waste brought on by customers throwing away perfectly good food if these dates were eliminated or replaced with more precise recommendations on food freshness. This strategy, meanwhile, also raises questions regarding food safety because some items have a true tendency to deteriorate or turn dangerous to eat after a while.Improving consumer education regarding food labelling and promoting methods like smell tests and visual inspections could provide a more well-rounded solution by enabling them to make knowledgeable decisions about food freshness independent of dates. In the end, eliminating best before dates might help cut down on food waste, but in order to guarantee safety and reduce confusion, it needs to be done in tandem with aggressive consumer education programs and open labelling procedures.

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should best before dates be removed to reduce food waste?  Hiral patel - 301428364

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should best before dates be removed to reduce food waste?  Hiral patel - 301428364

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Removing "best before" dates would not be amiss in bringing down food waste by forcing consumers to use their senses instead of strict labels, which often have safe food discarded needlessly. A lot of people misunderstand these dates, centered on food safety, by which they discard products which in reality are good for consumption. However, the removal of these dates needs to be treated with caution, as this will result in increased confusion among people through what is perceived to be safely consumed and escalate the health risk accordingly. A balanced way out must instead, therefore, be made in improving labeling practices and educating the consumer for assessment of food quality, enabling more sustainable usage of food with maintained confidence in safety.

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In my opinion, best-before dates should not be removed as they serve an important role in food safety and quality assurance. These dates help consumers understand when a product is at its peak freshness and ensure they aren’t unknowingly consuming food that has deteriorated in taste, texture, or nutritional value. While food waste is a concern, removing best-before dates could lead to confusion and increased health risks, as people may consume spoiled or unsafe products. Instead of removing these dates, better education on the difference between “best before” and “expiry” dates could help reduce waste without compromising safety.

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Name : Shruti Shah

301395610

Removing "best before" dates to prevent food waste has both advantages and disadvantages. While it may avoid the waste of perfectly edible food and encourage people to use their senses to determine freshness, it also raises worries about food safety and misunderstanding. Many people may misinterpret the distinction between "best before" and "use by" dates, posing dangers if spoilt food is ingested. Instead of completely deleting these dates, a preferable strategy could be to use clearer labelling and public education to assist consumers make educated decisions while safely minimising waste.

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Removing "best before" dates to prevent food waste has both advantages and disadvantages. While it may avoid the waste of perfectly edible food and encourage people to use their senses to determine freshness, it also raises worries about food safety and misunderstanding. Many people may misinterpret the distinction between "best before" and "use by" dates, posing dangers if spoilt food is ingested. Instead of completely deleting these dates, a preferable strategy could be to use clearer labelling and public education to assist consumers make educated decisions while safely minimising waste.

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Removing "best before" dates might help cut down on food waste, but it’s not an easy solution. These dates are there to indicate when food is at its best in terms of taste and quality, not when it becomes unsafe. Many items are still fine to eat after this date, though they might not be as fresh. People often discard food as soon as the date passes, even if it’s still good. Educating people on how to check if food is still good using their senses could help reduce waste. Additionally, improvements in packaging and food technology could make these dates more precise. Instead of simply removing the dates, combining better education with these new technologies might be a more effective way to reduce food waste.

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I think removing "best before" dates could help reduce food waste, as they often cause confusion and lead to throwing out perfectly good food. Without them, we’d rely more on our senses to judge freshness, which could save money and reduce waste. However, people would need to be better informed about food safety to make this work effectively.

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Should best before dates be removed to reduce food waste?

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Should best before dates be removed to reduce food waste?

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Name: Riya Patel

SIN: 301351161

Eliminating "best before" dates may contribute to less food waste. Even though the food is still safe to eat, a lot of people discard it when it reaches this date. "Best before" dates usually relate to quality rather than security. Individuals who rely more on their senses—taste, smell, and appearance—may waste less food. However, since "use by" dates are related to food safety, it's crucial to ensure that people are aware of the distinction between "best before" and "use by" dates.
Therefore, eliminating "best before" dates might be a step in the right direction, but it would also require improved food safety education.